Difenda’s Threat Hunting Maturity Model  

At Difenda, we’ve developed a comprehensive Threat Hunting Maturity Model (HMM) to help organizations evolve from basic reactive measures to advanced proactive threat hunting strategies. Let’s explore the stages of our model and how each step helps build a more secure environment. 

In this blog, we’ll explore the traditional steps in the HMM, how Difenda enhances each layer, and introduce Difenda’s own maturity model. 

Understanding the HMM Threat Hunting Model 

The Hunting Maturity Model (HMM) provides a structured pathway for organizations to advance their cyber threat hunting capabilities. Starting from basic automated alerting, the model guides organizations through incremental improvements to achieve sophisticated, automated threat detection and response. This model is divided into five stages: Initial, Minimal, Procedural, Innovative, and Leading. 

Difenda’s Threat Hunting Maturity Model 

At Difenda, we recognize the importance of each stage in the traditional HMM and build upon these foundations with our proprietary methodologies and tools. Difenda’s Threat Hunt Maturity Model takes the traditional HMM a step further, focusing on integration, intelligence, and innovation at every stage. 

HMM 0 – Initial: The Starting Point 

At the initial stage, organizations rely heavily on automated alerting systems to detect potential threats. Data collection is minimal, and the approach is primarily reactive. The core security operations team handles these alerts using basic, out-of-the-box solutions like Microsoft alerting systems. This stage represents the foundational level of threat detection, where responses are often triggered only when an alert is raised. 

HMM 1 – Minimal: Beginning Active Hunts 

Moving to the minimal stage, organizations start to incorporate threat intelligence into their operations. Difenda builds on the foundation by introducing threat hunts and proactive threat intelligence. In this stage we search for indicators of compromise (IoCs) and increase their routine data collection. Quick, ad-hoc hunts, known as “lightning hunts,” are conducted by senior security operations team members.  

This stage marks the transition from purely reactive to more proactive threat detection efforts, focusing on specific clues that indicate potential threats. 

HMM 2 – Procedural: Establishing Structured Processes 

In the procedural stage, we enhance threat hunting capabilities with continuous data collection, behavioral hunting, and regular threat hunt assessments.  

Threat hunting becomes more organized and follows established procedures. A designated hunt team leads the efforts, collecting high volumes of routine data and conducting structured hunts. This stage also introduces behavioral hunting, where the team looks for unusual activities that might signal a threat. By following a clear, step-by-step plan, organizations can systematically detect and respond to threats more effectively. 

HMM 3 – Innovative: Pioneering New Techniques 

At the innovative stage, organizations take their threat hunting to the next level by creating and testing new hunting procedures. Extensive data collection continues, and threat hunt assessments are conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of current methods.  

Senior hunters lead the charge in researching and developing these new approaches, combining various techniques for a hybrid hunting strategy. This stage emphasizes continuous improvement and adaptation to emerging threats. 

HMM 4 – Leading: Achieving Automation and Efficiency 

The leading stage represents the pinnacle of threat hunting maturity, where advanced automation plays a crucial role. Organizations automate their hunting procedures, maintaining high levels of data collection and utilizing detailed playbooks to guide their hunts. Automated systems not only conduct threat hunts but also generate new leads on potential threats. At this level, the security operations are driven by sophisticated, automated processes, guided by detailed playbooks and driven by advanced artificial intelligence, ensuring a proactive and highly efficient threat detection and response capability. 

Benefits of Difenda’s Threat Hunting Model 

• Enhanced Data Collection: We ensure that data collection is not only routine but also comprehensive, encompassing a wide range of sources and indicators. 

• Proactive Threat Hunting: Our team conducts continuous, proactive threat hunts using both atomic indicators and behavioral analysis. 

• Innovative Approaches: We stay ahead of the curve by constantly developing and testing new threat hunting procedures, ensuring our methods are effective against the latest threats. 

• Automation and Intelligence: Leveraging advanced automation and artificial intelligence, we streamline threat hunting processes, enabling faster and more accurate detection and response. 

The Journey to Mature Cyber Threat Hunting  

Difenda’s Threat Hunt Maturity Model provides organizations with a clear pathway to enhance their threat-hunting capabilities, ensuring they are prepared to tackle the most sophisticated cyber threats. By integrating advanced technologies, proactive methodologies, and continuous innovation, organizations can achieve the highest levels of security and resilience in an ever-evolving digital landscape.